Aaron Ely vs. Laramie Schaffer
Aaron Ely came into the fight undefeated. The controversial split decision handed Ely his first loss, which led commentators and professional fighters Justin McCully and Jens Pulver to shock. The Fight The first round of the bantamweight fight began and they touched gloves. Schaffer landed a few big lefts from southpaw early. Four thirty-five. Ely landed a counter right uppercut. Four fifteen. Four minutes. Schaffer landed a right hook there. Three thirty-five. They exchanged. Three fifteen. Schaffer landed a left and a right hook. Three minutes. Schaffer landed a counter right hook. Schaffer worked a single. Two thirty-five as Ely defended well. He stuffed it to the clinch. They broke. Schaffer had a cut over his right eye, possibly from a headbutt. Ely also had a nick on his forehead, over the left eye. Two fifteen left. Two minutes. Ely stuffed a single/ankle pick. One thirty-five. Schaffer was starting to swing wildly. Ely was stalking now. One fifteen. Ely stuffed a single. One minute. Ely landed a counter left hook. Ely stuffed a single and another, worked a guillotine. Schaffer defended to the clinch with thirty and they broke. Fifteen. The first round ended. 10-9 Ely but close. The second round began. Ely was stalking early. Ely stuffed a single sprawling, nope Schaffer pressed on for a double with four thirty-five to half-guard. Ely scrambled breaking away. Four fifteen. Four minutes as Schaffer landed two counter right hooks, Ely landed a right hand and a right uppercut, ate a counter right hook, they clinched. Ely broke with a right and a left hook. Three thirty-five. Three fifteen. Pulver thought Schaffer was right-handed using a southpaw wrestling stance. Three minutes. Ely landed a counter left hook. Two thirty-five. Two fifteen remaining. Two minutes. One thirty-five as Schaffer landed a counter right hook and ate a big counter left hook. One fifteen. Ely landed a left hook and a big right. Schaffer was cut over both eyes now. One minute. Thirty-five. Ely stuffed a single landing a big right and another. The second round ended. 10-9 Ely. The third round began and they touched gloves. Schaffer landed a straight left. Four thirty-five. Schaffer stuffed a single. Schaffer landed a big left. Four fifteen. Schaffer was cut bad over that left eye. Four minutes. They clinched, Schaffer worked a double. Ely defended sprawling and stuffing it. They broke. Three thirty-five. Three fifteen. Three minutes as Ely landed a big right and ate a counter left hook. Two thirty-five. Two fifteen as Schaffer landed a counter right behind the ear. Schaffer got a power double. Two minutes as Ely scrambled up. Schaffer slammed him with another double. Ely rolled for a kneebar, switched and rolled. Schaffer had the back. Ely rolled out the back door. Nice scramble. One thirty-five as Ely stood. Ely landed a right to the body. Another. One fifteen as Ely got a nice double to side control. One minute. Schaffer turtled up. They stood and broke. Thirty-five. Ely landed a right to the body. Fifteen. Schaffer landed a counter left and another to the top of the head. Ely stuffed a single sprawling. The third round ended. 10-9 Ely, 30-27 UD. Wow they gave the decision to Schaffer, split decision 29-28. Ely's first loss. Wow... Pulver was shocked. "That's an atrocity," McCully said. "That's a tragedy." Wow. What a robbery.